Rail clamp for meeting ends of rails



Patented May 31, 1938 UNITES STATES PATENT GFFHCE Victor C. Armstrong, Short Hills, N. J., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Poor & Company, a corporation or Delaware Application December 10, 1935, Serial No. 53,828

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel rail clamp or dog adapted to be clamped upon and at the meeting ends of rails and possessing special utility as a device for picking-up rail ends in cases of Worn rail joint bars. To that end the invention has in View a device acting in a supplementary capacity to the splice bars of the rail joint for the purpose of assisting the bars in rmly and eiectually supporting the ends of rails against vertical and lateral deflection relative to each other under the heavy loads to which they are subjected, thereby to reduce pounding and batter of the rail ends, to maintain the joint high, and generally to increase the life of the joints.

The general object of the invention is to provide a rail clamp or dog for the purpose stated which is of simple design, cheap and easy to make, easy to install and highly eiiicient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and deined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint braced by a rail clamp or dog in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the assembly illustrated in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section through the joint illustrated in Fig. l; and

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 3 illustrating alternative embodiments of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A, A, designate the meeting end portions of a pair of railway rails, B, B designate a pair of splice bars connecting together the meeting end portions of said rails, and C designates, generally, the present rail clamp or dog spanning the rail ends at the bottoms thereof and supplementing the splice bars B, B and assisting the latter in maintaining the rail ends high and against vertical or lateral deflection relative to each other.

According to the Figs. 1 to 3 form of the invention the rail clamp or dog C comprises a channeled or substantially V-shaped yoke or chair I D and a `cooperating wedge II.

The yoke or chair ID is of a length to extend entirely across the undersides of the rails and is of a relatively short width fitting between ties, and is formed from metal amply thick and strong to withstand the heavy loads to which the rail is subjected. It is of substantially U-shape as viewed in end elevation and comprises a body portion I2 which underlies the meeting end portions of the bases of the rails A, A and hook-like side formations I3, I3 Whichextend upwardly and inwardly from said body portion about the edges of the rail iianges. Preferably, but not necessarily, the body portion 2 is undulated as viewed in end elevation to increase the strength of said portion.

As best shown in Fig. 3, one of the hook-like side formations I3 is formed to engage at least portions of the outer edges of the rail anges, and also the tops of said flanges adjacent to their outer edges, whenthe body portion is disposed against the under sides of the rails. On the other hand, the other hook-like end formation I3 is formed somewhat larger than the rst mentioned hook-like side portion so that its inner, transversely rounded surface is spaced outwardlyv from the edges and above the tops and below the bottoms of the rail iianges. at the related side yof the rails when the body portion I2 is seated against the bottoms of the rails and the first mentioned hook-like side formation is operatively engaged in the manner stated with the rail flanges at its related side of the rails. Moreover, the under surface of the free end or rail ange overlying portion of the last mentioned hook-like formation is preferably slightly inclined to the horizontal longitudinally of the yoke or chair or, in other words, is slightly inclined to the upper faces of the rail flanges, to provide a wedge surface.

The wedge II is of substantially the same length as the width of the yoke or chair Il) and in cross section is of substantially C-shape and of a size to t within the second mentioned hooklike formation I 3. Its top is inclined corresponding to the inclination of the under side of the rail ange overlying portion of said second mentioned hook-like formation I3 and its inner side is channeled as indicated at I4 to receive the edges ofA new or unworn joints to delay wear on the splice bars. In any event, the function of the clamp or dog is to assist the splice bars in maintaining the rail ends high and against vertical and lateral movements with respect to each other in the case of new or unworn joints, and to hold the rail ends high and alined, against relative vertical and horiontal movements, in the case of worn joints.

To apply the clamp or dog to either a worn or an unworn joint, the yoke or chair I0 is placed beneath the rail ends with the first mentioned hook-like formation I3 engaging the flanges at one side of the joint in the manner heretofore stated. The wedge I l then is inserted longitudinally into the other hook-like formation I3 and is driven tightly therein by a hammer or maul. As a result of the wedging cooperation between the under side of the rail flange overlying portion of the hook-like formation and the upper side of the dog, the body portion I2 of the yoke is drawn upward tightly against the bottoms of the rails and the wall defining the upper side of the recess I4 in the wedge is caused tightly to engage the upper faces of the rail flanges. The rail ends tnus are lifted and brought into alinement and effectively held alined. p

In addition to the cooperating wedging surfaces at the top of the wedge I I there may be and preferably are cooperating wedging surfaces at the outer side of the wedge and the inner side of the hook-like formation I3 so that when the wedge is driven the rails, if laterally disalined. are brought into alinement laterally and in any event are held effectively against becoming laterally disalined.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings is illustrated an alternative embodiment differing from the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 primarily in that both hook-like formations |35, I3a are formed similarly to the second mentioned hook-like formation of the Figs. 1 to 3 embodiment and in that a wedge IIa is employed in each of said hook-like formations.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings is illustrated another alternative embodiment of the invention which differs from the Figs. 1 to 4 embodiments primarily in that the Wedge receiving hook-like formation I3b at one or both sides of the joint as the case may be, is formed to receive a wedge I lb the recess Mb in which is of sufficient height to accommodate not only the rail flanges but also the foot flange of the splice bar. Thereby the foot of the rails are clamped in an exceptionally effective manner between the splice bar, or the splice bars, as the case may be, and the yoke or chair Ib.

The Figs. 1 to 4 forms of the invention are designed for use in rail joints employing splice bars of the toeless type or of the type having foot flanges which terminate inwardly of the edges of the rail flanges, while the Fig. 5 form of the invention is more particularly designed for use in joints employing splice bars having foot flanges which extend substantially to the edges of the rail flanges. Some splice bars have foot flanges which extend considerably beyond the edges of the rail flanges, and under such conditions a clamp or dog as illustrated in Fig. 6 is employed. That is to say, the hook-like formation I3c at one or both sides of the joint as the case may be, is formed to receive a wedge IIc the recess IBC in which is not only of sufficient height to receive both the flanges of the rails and the foot flange of the splice bar, but is of suicient width to accommodate that portion of the foot flange which projects beyond the edges of the rail flanges.

In each of the embodiments of the invention, Whether there be a wedge at only one side of the joint or at both sides thereof, the hook-like formations and the Wedges obviously may have cooperating inclined or Wedging surfaces to clamp the rail ends either vertically and not laterally or both vertically and laterally. It Will further be understood that the wedges only may be formed with the inclined or wedging surfaces and the surfaces of the yoke or chair left straight, the only requirement being that the interengaging surfaces of the wedge or wedges and the yoke or chair be relatively inclined to permit of the wedging action involved.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

1. A clamp for the meeting ends of rails comprising in combination with the rails, splice bars connecting the rails and having foot flangesoverlying the rail flanges, a yoke including a body portion underlying the rail ends', hook-like formations at the ends of said body portion extending upwardly across the edges of the rail flanges and inwardly above the tops of the splice bar foot flanges, a Wedge of substantially C-shape in cross section within at least one of said hooklike formations embracing edge portions of the rail flanges and the foot flange of the related splice bar, a portion of said wedge being disposed between the inwardly extending portion of said hook-like formation and the upper side of the foot flange of the related splice bar and being operable by longitudinal movement of the wedge relative to the yoke and the rails to urge the yoke upwardly and the related splice bar downwardly relative to the rails, thereby to clamp the rails against vertical deflection relative to each other.

2. A clamp for the meeting ends of rails cornprising in combination with the rails, splice bars connecting the rails and having foot flanges overlying the rail flanges, a yoke including a body portion underlying the rail ends, hook-like formations at the ends of said body portion, and a wedge of substantially C-shape in cross section within at least one of said hook-like formations embracing edge portionsof the rail flanges and the foot flange of the related splice bar.

VICTOR C. ARMSTRONG. 

